Scoria Point, United States Travel Journals & Blogs

Traveler Heading West
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- Mar 13, 2024
- ☀️ 13 °C
- Altitude: 743 m
- United States North Dakota Unorganized Territory of North Billings Scoria Point 46.958478, -103.46500546°57’31” N 103°27’54” W
Day 4
North Dakota to Bozeman
March 13 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
I started my day by spending two hours on a scenic drive through Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I listened to another episode from my favorite podcast about the park, which told some creepy ghost stories and the history of Roosevelt's time in the area.

I encountered a bison crossing the road about two minutes into my drive. Throughout the drive, I saw countless bison, cute Prarie dogs, elk, and lots of birds. I stopped at a scenic pullout and noticed how silent it was in the park. I sat for a few minutes and watched elk run and bison graze in the silence...truly amazing!

The Badlands are beautiful and definitely an underrated landscape! I only saw one other person during my time in the park....so nice to enjoy the scenery without the crowds.

I continued into big sky country and wow....they call it that for a reason! I drove through Billings and then stopped in Bozeman for the night. I wandered downtown for a drink and dinner at a fun bar. I plan to return to Bozeman for a weekend visit to explore more.Read more
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Traveler Blue-Green Highways... 2023.
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- Jun 15, 2023, 6:23pm
- ☁️ 66 °F
- Altitude: 2,244 ft
- United States North Dakota Unorganized Territory of North Billings Scoria Point Knutson Creek 46.948323, -103.53349246°56’54” N 103°32’1” W
Day 54
Theodore Rooseveldt Park (South Unit)...
June 15, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F
From North of Bowman, ND, South to Lowman...
Nice area we drove through from Black Hills (SD) into ND. Absolutely lovely "East WY.-like" rolling hills, and nothing but grasslands. Came through heavy rain in SD. All the way into just past Buffalo, ND. ( ROAD SIGN READS: " Buffalo [straight on] Bison [Turn right.] I can hear it now: "So, where do you live?"
" Me? That all depends... scientifically, it's 'Bison'; colloquially, it's 'Buffalo'.
Actually, two small towns, one scientifically correct ( bison bison), the other, home to them who pets 'furry cows'.
Got one of the last sites in the South Unit of Roosevelt. I drove from Buffalo in ND to here.
"And here..." Connie says "... is supper!"
Supper has been appropriately supped, I crashed for an hours ' cat-nap', weariness snuck up from somewhere...
Lovely park and area we drove through, just one thing sends chills down my spine - the mere thought of winter, blizzard conditions across these vast, unprotected plains, is enough to send me into spasms of Arizona joy, slobbering at the gills at the thought of balmy AZ winters: "Oh wind if winter comes... Connie and Jack will not be seen in this area."
Aah yes, just as I was swallowing the last of the mug of tea (had to inaugurate teapot to the Chariot) came suddenly out of the 10:37 dusk, "Knock! Knock!"
"Who's there?"
"Buffalo in camp..., come see... " said the neighbour,
"You mean bison... WAIT, I need my trousers...! Ooh, my camera, unzip camera bag... HURRY! - damn, who needs trousers? "
Just saw the rump of a 'furry cow' disappearing between a 5th wheel and a truck....
"Then..." , said neighbour, "...awhile ago (where?) a bear put his (her?) paw through the half opened driver side window, and nearly pulled the car-a-van over - while I was in bed".
Hmmm...
Till next time, all is well, "... where the bear, the buffalo and the bison roam..." WAIT... this means that in the very early hours, for me to shuffle off to the 'long-drop', might be ever so...? Ooh dear - now what? "
Connie and Jack.Read more
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Traveler Blue-Green Highways... 2023.
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- Jun 17, 2023, 9:58pm
- 🌙 61 °F
- Altitude: 2,254 ft
- United States North Dakota Unorganized Territory of North Billings Scoria Point Knutson Creek 46.948942, -103.53241246°56’56” N 103°31’57” W
Day 56
Saturday... whoops interupted by...
June 17, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 61 °F
We went off for a stroll around the Camp Loop started speaking to a couple with a funny little trailer they are from Texas. They accompanied us back to see pur Ram van and all hell broke loose with a grumpy old bison bull standing or landing up right next to our table in the campsite. The soup that Connie had made was super and word must have gotten round to the bison herd. Anyway there was only the one old bull. The problem was I left my microphone on the table and bra bison was smack bang next to the microphone. Anyway I managed to get into the van, lay down on the bed, took down the curtain in the rear window and got some rather decent images of brother bison chewing the cudd at our campsite table. I got stills and color and video. Bison has now, due to the encouragement of the ranger mosied on to pasture, probably a little bit greener. I kept my distance! As did Connie and half the rest of the camp too!
See the camp table with water bottle in foreground and blue camp-stove at other end? See the small dark object near water jug?
That's my $175 ZOOM microphone - and ONS sniff from brother bison and.... Anyway, the ranger was able to retrieve the mic as well as chase bison off.
All is well that ends... well, anyway, shame lonely old bison.Read more
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Traveler Blue-Green Highways... 2023.
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- Jun 16, 2023, 9:40pm
- 🌙 59 °F
- Altitude: 2,254 ft
- United States North Dakota Unorganized Territory of North Billings Scoria Point Knutson Creek 46.948973, -103.53244746°56’56” N 103°31’57” W
Day 55
Lovely day, South Unit, Rooseveldt, but
June 16, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 59 °F
Woke up LOW ENERGY and it has not improved much. Might be lack of sunshine.
Anyway, explored a lot of this park's South Unit. Soon we head for North Unit about 100 miles away, then consult our maps. Eastern Montanta seems dull, sooo, we'll have to see.Read more
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